1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, an image registering method, a program which causes a computer to execute the image registering method, and a recording medium in which the program is recorded. More Particularly the invention relates to model setting means used in geometrical matching in an image processing technique.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are various kinds of image processing apparatus in which a camera image screen taken by a camera and a setting item screen including character strings and icons are simultaneously displayed on a monitor (multidisplay). A visual sensor, which detects the presence or absence of an object using the camera image taken by the camera or makes a discrimination of a shape or a size of the object by measuring the object, can be cited as an example of the image processing apparatus.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 2006-72913, 2000-148974, 2002-230549, 2002-133427, and 2005-228062 disclose such pieces of circuit board inspection apparatus to which the visual sensors are applied.
In some pieces of apparatus to which the visual sensor is applied, geometrical information is utilized in a technique of searching an already-registered image (master model) for a measuring target image. As used herein, the geometrical information shall mean information on the shape of the image (focusing on edge information).
Conventionally, in order to correctly perform a matching process in which the geometrical information is used, it is necessary to produce a master model in which the geometrical information is properly extracted.
In the master model, it is necessary to extract only useful information from the image taken on any condition. In the image taken on any condition, it is necessary to remove unnecessary information to extract only the proper geometrical information. Unfortunately, the technique of extracting the proper geometrical information is difficult to achieve.
An object of the invention is to provide an image processing apparatus in which the geometrical information as the master model can be set by a simple operation, an image registering method, a program which cases a computer to execute the image registering method, and a recording medium in which the program is recorded.